Emperor of Red
by King Who Stands Alone
Summary: A dragon dies at the hands of his then-girlfriend, an angel with black wings. His life is picked up by his associate, a devil with red hair. His normal life is gone as he comes to terms with being a "Dragon Emperor". All before he's even figured out what to do post-high school. [Issei replacement] [first-person perspective]
1. Chapter 1

"Ugh, it's him again."

"Why does he even bother showing up if all he does is sleep in class?"

"What a nuisance."

"How has he not been booted out already?"

"And to think that a guy like that gets to hang around Rias-onee-sama and Akeno-onee-sama."

"Scum."

"He should just die already."

I do nothing to hide my smile as the student body hurls its sticks and stones. Please hate me more, you low-lives. I'll accept all of it unflinchingly. The insults of lesser beings mean absolutely nothing to me. You are worth less than the dirt my shadow falls upon, but please continue to berate me.

...Hehehe.

Just kidding~.

I couldn't be such a haughty person even if I tried.

And oh, how I've tried.

Unfortunately, I simply lack such a disposition, no matter how hard I've attempted to fit myself into that mold.

The king-type persona that allows nothing to bother him, smirking at the children displaying such revulsion towards his very existence. Yes, I'd very much like to live in such a way, with such a persona. Or even Kiba Yuuto's princely demeanor, always smiling even when our fellow males curse us, both behind our backs and to our faces, I wouldn't mind having that kind of personality either.

Although, the reasons we're cursed are wholly different. Kiba receives scorn for being the "Prince of Kuoh Academy", while mine seems to revolve around the fact that I'm a deadbeat layabout who has somehow found his way into a mutual friendship with Himejima Akeno and Rias Gremory, my fellow third-years.

I still fail to see how such a thing is my fault. Does my very presence somehow strip Akeno and Rias of their autonomy and personal freedom? Are they not allowed to make friends with whomever they wish? Or perhaps it's the fact that such a good-for-nothing like me has succeeded in becoming the friend of those two beauties by accident while they can do nothing but stand off to the sides, praying desperately that their idols will even glance in their general direction.

Regardless, I'm in possession of neither types of personality. I'm still but a normal teenage boy, weak at heart and susceptible to the harshness of those around me. Being the target of such open hatred and distaste, it's almost enough to make want to crawl to Akeno's side and ask to be comforted by her kind words and affectionate head pats. The students of Kuoh Academy are so vicious. If I was any lesser of a man I would undoubtedly be brought to tears by such heartless remarks.

Nevertheless, I walk on with a smile on my face. Their words can't hope to bring down my mood today, no matter how valiant their efforts.

Today is my fifteenth date with the illustrious, the gorgeous, the stunning Amano Yuuma-chan. Such a wonderful girl, she is. Silk-like long black hair that I've had the pleasure of running my hands through. Kind, soft, violet eyes that radiate innocence and enthusiasm on every one of our little dates. A body that's to die for, slender but with curves in all the right places.

Kind, caring, doting, loving, intelligent, and, most importantly, fun, Yuuma is definitely a dream girl that men would kill one another for. More specifically, and if the glares by the male student body in my direction are correct as I greet Yuuma at the school gate before taking her hand in mine and leading her away from the campus, a dream girl they would kill me in particular for.

I don't think Akeno and Rias like my new girlfriend though. The single time I introduced Yuuma to them, they wouldn't stop glaring at her when the two thought I wasn't looking. Akeno in particular, her own gorgeous purple eyes take on such a cold, hard gleam anytime I mention Yuuma in conversation. Rias isn't immune either, smiling politely but I can see just a bit of anger behind it.

However, it's not only those two. Yuuma was rather uncharacteristically cold towards the pair during that meeting as well. It makes me sad. I can undoubtedly and without hesitation say that Akeno and Rias are my closest friends, and Yuuma is a girl I'm really serious about. I want them to get along.

Could they be jealous of each other? Such a thought is almost enough to make me laugh. Wouldn't that be something, for a guy like me to attract the affections of both Great Ladies of Kuoh Academy? Yuuma has no reason to be jealous. I'm pretty sure Rias and Akeno see me more as a younger brother figure than anything, which is kind of depressing in its own way. Even if I'm already in a relationship I still want to be seen as a man!

I shouldn't be so greedy though, even in my thoughts. Yuuma is already enough, if I were to take away Akeno and Rias too I think the other students would actually put a bounty on my head.

Nobuyuki Ren  
Wanted: Dead or Alive  
Reward: The undying gratitude of the Kuoh Academy student body

Ah, I can already see such a poster in my mind's eye. I hope they use a good photo of me for it. Something flattering and with the proper lighting, preferably when I'm awake. Akeno's told me that I drool in my sleep sometimes and I don't want such a trait displayed.

The entire train of thought gets a chuckle out of me.

"What's so funny, Ren-kun?"

"It's nothing. Just a joke from school."

Yuuma looks at me with a pout. Such an expression could melt the heart of even the coldest of men, young and old. Please don't display such a dangerous weapon, Yuuma. You'll steal my heart entirely in a single move. I wouldn't mind but Akeno and Rias may get angry if I become yours exclusively.

"Geez, to think of school when you're out with your girlfriend. Ren-kun is so mean."

Don't say that with a frown, Yuuma. You'll make me feel bad for letting my mind wander.

"Sorry, sorry. I promise to only focus on you for the rest of our date."

I receive a quick kiss on the cheek as Yuuma links our arms and rests her head on my shoulder without another word as we walk. It seems as though I'm forgiven, how fortunate. I have little to no experience in the dating world but even an idiot like myself knows better than to tell the girl on my arm that I was thinking of my two female friends for a moment. My survival instincts as a male dictate that I have more common sense than that.

Our predetermined destination for the evening? Karaoke, a two-person party for just us. Yuuma seemed to enjoy it quite a bit when I took her here on our first date and listening to her wonderful voice was a joy. I'm not too bad myself, in my own opinion. She always insists we sing a few duets and we sync up with one another very well. We don't sing love songs to one another, neither of us are, for lack of a better word, cheesy enough to do so seriously. At least, not traditional love songs.

 _Believe in love, even though  
_ _There're borders and disturbances and more  
_ _I'm the only one who loves you  
_ _Because I'm crazy about you_

MYTH & ROID, one of my first loves of the musical variety. I'll never forget you. Please release another album soon.

Yuuma was overjoyed and we spent the evening singing. She looks so wonderful that I can hardly believe she's real. She's long since shed her red school jacket and bow this evening, only clad in her white undershirt and green skirt as she dances while singing, body swaying back and forth. Such movements inevitably draw my eyes away from her angelic face and down to her bodacious, bombshell body.

I'm not a pervert. I just have a healthy appreciation of my girlfriend's form.

Her long legs that seem to go on forever and ever. Her pale white thighs that I catch a glimpse of every time she twirls and her skirt lifts just a bit higher. Her slim waist and wide hips. The curvature of her behind. Her downright incredible breasts, a pair large enough that I'm all but sure they're testing the limits of her shirt buttons.

The face of an angel, innocent and kind, combined with the body of a succubus, tempting and devilish.

Well, maybe I'm a bit of a pervert.

Aren't all teenage boys perverts?

The answer to that question is yes, obviously. Those boys that claim otherwise, they're liars. Even worse are those that say they're "above" such urges. Those are the dangerous types, because of how self-righteous they are. Always be wary around such guys, they definitely have bad intentions.

Of course and as with all things, there are limits to perversity and one should always exhibit some self-control. If 1 is being asexual to the point that you may as well be an amoeba and 10 is being a member of the (in)famous Perverted Trio of Kuoh Academy, I would rank myself a 4 on an average day. Perhaps a 7 when Yuuma and I are getting particularly frisky.

I cannot claim to be anything less than a virgin, but I can say with one hundred percent certainty that Yuuma's breasts are every bit as soft as one would think just from observing their size. A boy never forgets the first pair of breasts he's felt with his own two hands, even more so when the boy's girlfriend puts his hands there of her own volition.

If there truly is a God in Heaven, I send you my thanks once more for allowing me to meet Yuuma. My apologies for stealing one of your angels but I won't be giving her back anytime soon. I kindly ask that you forgive this sin. I'm the greedy kind of person that refuses to ever return what he's taken away, even if divine punishment is to be my sentence. But you should already know this, being that you're the Creator and all that.

I feel a light rapping of knuckles against my head. Ah, I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I hadn't noticed Yuuma trying to get my attention. I've been doing that too often lately, getting in my own head to the point that I ignore my surroundings. Its gotten so bad that it's started to cut into my designated sleep time during class! Please forgive my absent-mindedness, Yuuma.

"You're spacing out again, Ren-kun. Are you okay?"

"I was just admiring you."

Yuuma's cheeks redden.

Not bad, Nobuyuki-sama. You're slowly getting better at this "boyfriend" thing. It's not even a lie, I really was doing just that. Granted, my thoughts were maybe a little less than pure but she doesn't need to know that little detail.

To spare Yuuma any further embarrassment at my hands, I grab the mic and cycle through the songs to find us one to finish this session with. Deciding on the perfect one, I offer her my hand as slow jazz comes on. She smiles and takes it, knowing the song I've picked by heart. It is one of my favorites, after all. Despite the lyrics of the song I definitely wouldn't consider it one about love. No, I'd say it's closer to accepting the loss of it.

 _subete wa mou owatta to  
_ _mimi o fusaida mama de kimi ga iu  
_ _kotoba wa tada nagarete'ku  
_ _yasuragu koto no nai ashita e…_

* * *

"Ren-kun, can I tell you something?"

"You can tell me anything, Yuuma-chan. What is it?"

We stop our little walk through the park as Yuuma lets go of my hand and takes a few steps in front of me. She looks conflicted, as though she's not sure whether or not she wants to say whatever's on her mind. She looks around as if checking for other people that might overhear. There's no one around, if anything the entire area seems deserted. It's rather odd, actually. I wouldn't call this park particularly popular but for it to be completely empty is strange.

"These past two weeks have been wonderful."

Have been?

Oh no.

This is a break-up speech, isn't it? Have I done something wrong? Did I say the wrong thing at some point?

"To be honest, you've made me really happy. Happier than I thought this would make me. I really enjoyed our time together. I never thought this would go on for so long, but after the first date, I felt really happy. You were different than I expected, so I kept putting off what I had to do, but I can't continue it any longer."

Please stop speaking in the past-tense, Yuuma. If you keep talking like that you're going to break my heart. Haven't we had some good times? There are still more of those ahead of us, I promise! Don't do this. I know we haven't been together very long but you're important to me.

Yuuma walks forward and wraps her arms around me in a hug, her face pressed against my chest. I can feel my shirt dampening where her face is touching it. She's crying. I wonder if I'm crying as well. I hope not. I don't want that to be one of the last memories she makes with me if this really is the end.

So this is it, huh? This is what it's like to be broken up with.

I don't like it.

Even worse, I don't like that this hurts so much that I can't say anything to try and change her mind. It's as though my mouth has been locked shut. No matter how hard I try I just can't open it to say anything. I've been shocked into complete and utter silence. All I can do is close my eyes and put my arms around her as well.

"I'm sorry."

I'm sorry too, Yuuma…

A sudden buzzing noise begins to fill the air, as though something is vibrating. Am I seriously getting a phone call, now of all times? How awful. Whoever it is that's calling me, when this miserable event is over you can look forward to me cursing you out. Then you can listen to my pathetic moaning and griping about my break up. That'll be your punishment.

But then, suddenly, a flapping sound makes itself known, not unlike that of a bird beating its wings. That's...odd? It sounds so much louder than a bird though. I finally open my eyes and what I witness shocks me. If there's a state beyond being shocked into silence, I've reached it.

Black wings.

Great, huge, black wings are sprouting from Yuuma's back.

Yuuma has wings. Literal wings.

I know I thought not too long ago that she's an angel but this is a bit much, I think.

My eyes trace from the wingtips all the way down until they reach her back. They're not some prop or costume, they're real. Actual, real wings. Out of the corner of my eye, I see something else. Yuuma's holding a pink _something_ in her hand. A spear? Is that a spear? Where in the world did she…

My thoughts are cut off as the spear I'm so curious about is suddenly thrust forward, through my stomach and out my back. I hear Yuuma give a small sob as she stabs me all the way through.

"I'm sorry."

Is she apologizing for trying to kill me? No, it's not "trying", is it?

She's killing me.

The pain I'm experiencing in my stomach is unfathomable. It feels like that entire area is on fire. I can't move, even if I wanted to. The only thing holding me up is Yuuma. The feeling of the spear inside of my guts suddenly disappears but it brings me no relief. With nothing left to block it, blood gushes out of my entry and exit wounds. I feel it soaking my uniform, dripping down my lower body.

"I'm sorry, Ren-kun. Really, I am. You were a threat to us."

Was I a threat? Who was I threatening? I don't understand. I _can't_ understand. Why are you doing this, Yuuma? Was I so horrible that you felt the need to kill me?

"The Sacred Gear inside of you, that's why this was necessary. This, all of this, it's _God's_ fault."

God.

She says the name with such anger. Such hatred.

This is the work of God? I'm dying because of God?

I cannot help but think that if this is God's work, then with such beautiful wings Yuuma must be an angel of death. Is this that divine punishment I was joking about earlier? What a cruel joke for God to play. Truly cruel.

I feel Yuuma's hand, the one that previously held the spear, caress my face. She finally raises her head up from my chest and looks me in the eye. She's still crying. There are tears running down her face. She looks utterly miserable.

"Reincarnate, Ren-kun."

Reincarnate? I'm not a Buddhist, Yuuma. I'm not sure I believe in such things. Actually, I'm not sure what I am. I never really followed any sort of religious belief or scripture. All I ever felt for sure was that there must be a God in some form or another. But if God would force your hand like this, force you to kill me, is such a being truly "God"? Is it the same "God" that took away my parents? If it is, I despise him. Where is "God" and his supposed mercy at a time like this? Where is this supposed "love" that "God" has for his children?

"Come back in another life, just the way you are now. When you come back, without a Sacred Gear, I'll have the strength to stand on my own, away from Grigori. Then it can just be you and I. I'll wait for you until then, okay? I promise."

Sacred Gear.

Grigori.

These sound like important names and titles, but I have no idea their meaning. Why would I? I don't even fully understand what's going on right now. Yuuma is asking me to come back in another life so we can be together. She's promising to wait for me until then. Wouldn't it have been easier to just not kill me in this life?

Yuuma finally lets go and my legs begin to give out, no longer able to support my weight. She catches me before I can fall, laying my body on the cool pavement. The hand that was previously caressing my face, that previously held the weapon that would be used to commit my murder, runs through my hair affectionately.

I should be angry at her. I should hate her. Regardless of her reasons, she's stabbed me. She's _killed_ me. Despite everything we've shared together, I'm dying in her arms because of her actions. I would be fully in the right to despise her at this moment.

But I can't. I can't hate Yuuma no matter how hard I try to muster up any bitterness. How can I hate her when she's looking at me with such fondness? Underneath the sadness, past the tears she's shedding, there's warmth in her eyes and it's all directed at me. Don't look at me so kindly if you're going to kill me, Yuuma. It makes things more difficult.

She presses her lips up against mine in a kiss for what feels like the final time.

Is this the kiss of death?

I wish I had the strength to talk. Yuuma would have loved that joke. She always laughed, even when I made the stupidest ones. The kiss of death from a literal angel. I couldn't have written a more poetic, more flowery death if I tried.

"Bye, Ren-kun."

She flaps those beautiful wings of hers and, as black feathers rain down upon me, she's gone.

Bye, Yuuma.

If I really do reincarnate I hope I'll see you again in the next life. You better expect a serious talking to if I remember all of this though. Killing your boyfriend is a very unkind way of breaking up with him, and one that's far too final for my tastes.

I feel my blood pooling beneath me. I'm really dying, huh? This sucks. I don't want to die. Death is scary. Not just the pain, but the not knowing what happens to you after your life leaves your body. The knowing that you're leaving people behind to mourn you.

Rias. Akeno. Will they cry for me? I hope they don't. Tears don't suit them. The two gorgeous onee-san-type girls that picked me up from my own misery back when we three were just first-years, after the horrible accident that took the lives of my mother and father. The two girls that weathered my terrible mood swings and bitterness and anger aimed at the entire world, until I reached the point where I cut myself off from everyone and everything, becoming a shut-in and nearly flunking out of Kuoh Academy. They had been there, always showing up at my home, always looking after me, always ready with a helping hand if I ever wanted to step outside once more.

Ah, mother and father. Kaa-san and Tou-san. Will I see them again after this? I'm dying, but is there a Heaven for me to go to? Surely I haven't committed so many sins that I should be doomed to Hell. I've done some bad things in my life, been a burden more often than I'd like to think about, but I would hope that isn't enough to send me to an eternity of suffering. I want to see my parents again. I want to tell them that I'm sorry their son didn't achieve anything when they were gone.

But Yuuma said something about reincarnation, didn't she? Do I go straight from death to being born again? Do I not get any downtime? And is there a possibility of me reincarnating into a non-human? I don't want to live my life as something like a bug. That sounds like a lot of work and a rather poor second life.

Those Light Novels I used to read always had the main character die and be reincarnated into a fantasy world where they grew up to be super strong and loved by all. Can I have that? Is that an option I can choose for my next life? Oh, but then I definitely won't see Yuuma again. That's not good. Rias and Akeno too, I want to see all of them again.

I don't want to leave this world.

I don't want to leave this life.

I don't want to die.

I bring my hand off the ground, off the puddle of blood its been soaking in, and raise it to my face to look at it. I try to clench it, to see if there's enough strength in my body for any type of more strenuous movement. Maybe there's still a chance I can drag my body to someone and they can help me? My fingers twitch but my hand remains open, blood dripping from it and splattering on my face.

It's a beautiful color red. Rich and vibrant, it catches the setting sun's light in a way that makes it shine. Kind of like Rias' hair. No, her hair is much prettier than my blood. Any beauty that this liquid has, it's outdone by Rias' gorgeous crimson tresses.

I want to tell her I'm sorry. I'm sorry that she and Akeno looked after me for so long, only for me to die alone in this park, never having done anything to lessen the debt I owe her. I'm sorry that she and her family supported me with a scholarship, free housing, and a weekly stipend so I wouldn't feel the burden of trying to juggle school and work. I'm sorry for leaning on Rias' kindness so much without being able to repay it before I died.

I hear footsteps approaching me. No, it's two sets of footsteps, one seemingly following the other. That's nice. I won't die alone. Someone will at least be around to witness my last moments. I wish Yuuma had at least stayed for that, but I suppose being the one killed me it would have been too difficult for her to watch me slowly die as well.

I hear one of the two people gasp. I suppose I must be quite the grisly sight. Hole in my stomach, in a pool of my own blood, life slowly escaping my body. I hope the image doesn't traumatize them. I don't want my last moments to cause someone else any suffering. If you can't bear to see this then please turn away now.

"Thank you, Koneko. I'll take things from here."

Koneko? Toujou Koneko? The unofficial school mascot of Kuoh Academy? What was she doing here? And why do I recognize the voice that just spoke?

"I'm sorry, Ren. Because she was a Fallen Angel I couldn't interfere without causing issues between the other two Factions."

Fallen Angel? Is that what Yuuma is? Fallen angels, they're angels that fell out of God's good graces, aren't they? Angels that have sinned. Is that why she had spoken God's name with such venom?

And what were these "Factions" that prevented this unknown person from saving me?

"I should have pulled you away from that witch the very moment you introduced her to us as your girlfriend."

...Rias? Is that her? My sight had already gone dark not soon after I had heard the two people walking towards me. I can't see whoever it is that's talking to me, but the only people I introduced Yuuma to personally are Rias and Akeno. My hearing is fading as well but this voice, it's definitely Rias'. I wouldn't mistake it for anyone else's.

"Don't worry. I'll save you. From this moment on, you can stand at my side. I promise that you will live a wonderful life as a member of my family."

Family.

I miss having one of those.

The warm feeling of being greeted by my loving parents as I would walk in the door. The scoldings I'd receive from Kaa-san for slacking off, be it on my chores or on my schoolwork. Tou-san sneaking me snacks before dinner despite my mother's strict orders not to because it would spoil my appetite.

I don't understand what you're promising me, Rias, and I don't think you understand the full magnitude of it either. But, if you do, please keep your promise. Please let me infringe upon your kindness once more. Please save my life.

My body can no longer take the strain, and I slip into the sweet embrace of darkness.

I hope I'll wake up as myself, and that this will all have been an unfortunate dream.

* * *

 **Just an experimental thing I wanted to try. I've never written in first-person before, at least not a serious attempt (or with something that wasn't smut) but I feel that it comes to me a lot more naturally than close third-person narrative. If you have any thoughts, interests or feedback please let me know in the reviews! I love reading them and knowing that I have an audience. Even just a small review of a few words is fine.**

 **Tiny mini-rant, but why is it in the DxD fandom people always paint Rias as the villain for not stepping in and stopping Raynare from killing Issei on his date? Not only could she not have known that was her intention, she literally can't. As far as she knows at that point in the story, Raynare is still affiliated with the Fallen Angel faction as a whole. To try and stop her could literally spark a second Great War.**

 **Yes, she reincarnates Issei for her own purposes, no duh. Nobody in DxD does anything out of the kindness of their hearts except for maybe Asia. Everyone has an agenda, yet Rias seems to get the most flack for it because she doesn't want to be married to a womanizing pig like Riser and brings someone back to life, someone that would have died and lived a (self-admittedly, Issei literally says as much before he almost croaks) pure shit life up until that point.**

 **Just rubs me the wrong way that people try to make Rias out to be this grand Chessmaster that planned for Issei to die when, if they had read the Light Novels, they would have known it was nothing of the sort. If anything she expressed surprise when he summoned her and at his condition.**

 **Anyway, that's just my rant. Ignore that if you want to, it's not really important, just something that grates on my nerves. Please read and review if you want to see a second chapter of this!**


	2. Chapter 2

_There's someone knocking on my door again._

 _Probably Himejima or Gremory, stopping by again to ask if I'm going to school today._

 _I'm not._

 _I should probably feel bad that they're taking time out of their day to check up on me but I don't. To hell with them. To hell with everyone out there. I'm done with the outside world. My life has done nothing but improve ever since I decided to just stay inside from now on._

 _You can't be hurt if you don't give anything the opportunity to hurt you._

 _The most valuable life lesson I've ever learned._

* * *

I groan as sunlight filters through my curtains and straight into my eyes. You would think after all this time and morning after morning of this kind of thing I would either move my bed or get thicker curtains. However, despite my groaning and mumbled comments about how the sun should just explode, I don't mind waking up like this.

 _Usually._

Today feels different.

I'm exhausted before I even step out of bed. Not the normal post-sleep tiredness either. It feels like I didn't even go to bed yesterday. My body's aching in ways I haven't felt since I (mostly) ditched my bad habit of staying up all night. The light isn't making things any better, and neither is the nightmare from the night previous. Yuuma grew wings and killed me. That's definitely a new one, and I'm not particularly eager to see it again.

I grab my phone off my nightstand as I roll out of bed and onto the floor. Probably not doing my body any favors throwing myself around like that but oh well. If nothing else it's a good wake-up call and way to get my blood flowing.

Yuuma and I always talk in the mornings. Sometimes just a simple "Good morning, can't wait to see you" and sometimes we talk about plans for the day or where we'll go for our date. Normal couples would just text message each other but hearing my girlfriend's voice is better than any cup of coffee for giving me the energy to get through the day and Yuuma is kind enough to accommodate my selfishness.

My girl is the best~.

I'm not usually this gushy or sentimental, I swear. Yuuma just brings this side of me out, the side that makes me all lovey-dovey. I wouldn't call myself apathetic towards things in my normal, daily life either though. I'm typically just a very laid back, take things as they come, "relax and enjoy the ride" sort of guy. I don't stress the little things. Or the big things. Or anything, really. Life is a lot easier if you don't worry about stuff so much, I've discovered.

Rias is always admonishing me for my way of thinking, telling me to be more proactive in my life. I never do it, partly because I'm too lazy and partly because I like it when she scolds me. It has nothing to do with any form of masochism, I'm not into those types of things, I swear! It's just a nice feeling, that someone cares about you enough that they're worried for your sake. It's just another part of my selfish nature, to want someone to worry about me. Is that a bit needy? It probably is but I think given my circumstances it can be excused.

Anyways~, thoughts about my attitude aside, there's a serious problem with this phone of mine. No matter where I look on my Contacts list, Yuuma's phone number isn't registered. When I dial it, because naturally, I've memorized the number by heart, I receive the standard machine voice that notifies me that this number has been disconnected or is otherwise out of service.

This is weird, way too weird.

I check my phone's settings to make sure there's not something wrong with it and notice that the memory card has way more space on it than I remember. Last I had bothered to look at it, it was almost entirely full because of all the photos I've taken. Pictures of Yuuma on our dates, pictures of Akeno and I hanging out, and pictures of Rias when she least expects it and lets down her super cool onee-san image. I'd never tell Yuuma this but that last category is my favorite. Seeing Rias caught off guard and all embarrassed never gets old.

But that first album of pictures, of Yuuma and I, is completely gone. The album isn't just empty, it's as if it was never there, to begin with. It's not even in the Deleted sub-folder. I race over to my computer and quickly power it on, tapping my foot impatiently against the carpeted floor as I wait. Some stupid programming bug must have removed it from my phone, that's it. Piece of outdated junk, I knew I should have upgraded when I had the chance. Regardless, the photos should still be stored on my hard drive. Everything's fine.

Nothing to worry about.

I'm worrying anyway.

That worry only intensifies as I input my login info and open the "Images" folder on my computer. It's not there. Just like the cell phone I've set down on the desk, the only pictures here are of Rias, Akeno and myself. There's not a single image of Yuuma. Not even the ones I took by accident when my thumb would press the shutter button one too many times and I'd take a picture of nothing. Everything, all of it, has just disappeared. Any information I had related to Amano Yuuma has been wiped away.

I'm panicking now.

Am I going insane?

What, did I just _imagine_ Yuuma? Were the past two weeks just some dream? No, that can't be, just a quick glance at the calendar will tell me that days have definitely been passing. I can remember each individual day too vividly for it to be a dream. What then? Some hallucination, like that one movie I watched about the man who created an underground fighting ring/anarchist (or fascist, the debates still rage on) movement? No, that's also an impossibility. Other people saw Yuuma. They definitely did. And not just in an "I imagined they saw her" sort of way either, they saw us two standing together, in the same place at the same time.

Rias and Akeno, I'll call one of them. Maybe they know what's going on. They'll definitely be able to tell me I'm not crazy. I'm not.

I'm not, I'm not, I'm not.

 _I am not crazy._

I press Rias' name on the phone's touchscreen and it calls her without further ado. I bring it to my ear and wait for the ringing to end patiently, or as patiently as I can when my entire body is shaking. The ringing ends as someone finally answers.

"Hello?"

"Rias! I'm sorry to call you so early, I just need to ask you something. This might sound crazy or stupid, but I need to check something that's bothering me. Do you remember Amano Yuuma-chan? My girlfriend? The girl I introduced you and Akeno to?"

There a silence after I finish my hurried questions, one right after another. The silence, though only for a few moments, is becoming unbearable. Please say yes, Rias. I'm begging you, please say _yes._

"Ren."

My heart clenches. The serious tone Rias' taken doesn't bode well for the answer I'm desperately hoping she'll give me.

"Come to the old school building after school, okay? I'll explain everything there. Until then, try not to think about her."

A small moment of silence once more, as if Rias is considering whether or not to say anything more. Please don't leave me with such a cryptic non-answer, Rias! I need to know, was Yuuma real or not?

"But yes. Amano Yuuma is real."

There's a soft click as the call ends. Rias hangs up on me and I'm left wide-eyed. She was real. She was definitely real. I'm not losing it. Even with so many inexplicable oddities happening, the knowledge that Yuuma is real is enough to comfort me for right now. I can say for sure that I'm not crazy.

But why do I have such an uneasy feeling in my heart? As though the answer as to what's going on is more terrifying than the questions.

* * *

Even putting aside the freak-out I had this morning, today sucks.

Not only do I feel like crap mentally but physically as well. It's like my entire body is just sapped of energy.

To add to my list of problems, Rias and Akeno were acting weirdly around me up until they left, as if they're trying to hide something. Likely has something to do with why the former asked me to report to the old school building when class lets out.

Both disappeared around lunch and haven't come back to class since so it's just me sitting in the back, an empty chair in front of me and an empty chair on my right. It feels lonely. I can't get in touch with Yuuma and my two friends are gone. Nobody else in the class even treats me as if I exist.

Everyone close to me has suddenly vanished and, for the few hours of class that remain, I get a small taste of complete and utter social isolation.

There's something about having one of your worst fears realized, even on a small scale, that really makes your skin crawl.

I dislike it.

Thankfully, before I can feel any worse, the bell that marks the end of the school day rings and I all but run out of the room. I pay no attention to the odd looks my peers give me, I'm not in the mood for it today. Of course, even when I reach the old school building, there's still a problem.

Where the hell am I supposed to go after this?!

Rias, I know you're in the Occult Research Club – you have weird hobbies, by the way – but you never actually told me how to find the room! And why aren't you picking up your phone now when I'm calling? Is this some form of bullying? Leaving me all on my own and then not giving me directions on how to find you, I feel like I'm being punished for something with this kind of treatment.

Lucky for me that Akeno still has her phone on her. She picks up in a few rings.

"Akeno, I'm lost. Help."

I hear her signature "ufufu" laugh on the other end. Please don't laugh at my misfortune, Akeno.

"I'll be there in a little while, just wait by the front." I smile. Saved by Akeno. "Buchou, I'm going to bring Yuki-kun to the clubroom. I've already set out your clothes for when you get out of the shower if I don't come back in time."

Don't call me that embarrassing nickname!

I was wrong, Rias isn't the one picking on me, it's the "Yamato nadeshiko" with the ponytail. You would think after over two years I would be immune to things like this but Akeno just has a way with words that leaves me flustered, and it only gets worse when she calls me "Yuki-kun".

And what's this about a shower? I thought they were in their clubroom.

Within only a few minutes Akeno's at the entrance and leading me back to the Occult Research Club's room with a smile. It seems a bit tense though, and any questions I asked about whether or not she's okay are deflected with assurances that she's fine. She's nervous about something, I can tell when I see her out of the corner of my eye shooting me glances. I don't know what it could possibly be and, at this point, I'm almost too scared to ask.

We reach our destination relatively quickly and Akeno ushers me inside.

The floor, the walls, the ceiling, they're all covered in weird symbols. Especially the floor, in the center of the room there's some sort of occultic magic circle. I mean, I suppose it's fitting, given that this is the _Occult_ Research Club but this kind of interior decorating is a bit off-putting. There's a single desk in the room, presumably where the President of the club presumably sits, and a few Victorian-style couches and chairs. The only light in the room comes from lit candles set in candelabras, as the curtains are drawn over the windows. All in all, it's a room very fitting for occult research.

Except for one section of the room, which is blocked off from view by a shower curtain. I can hear running water coming and there's most definitely someone behind the curtain, I can see their figure. By process of elimination of who I know for certain is in this club (Toujo Koneko, Kiba Yuuto, Himejima Akeno, and Rias Gremory), I can say for sure that it's Rias. Not to say I know Rias' figure that intimately or anything! It's not like I've ever daydreamed about her and Akeno in the past!

...Yuuma, please forgive your boyfriend and his perverted thoughts. It's not my fault my friends have such insane bodies. I'm just a man, I can only do so much. Besides, this was before I met you. Surely I can be forgiven for that, right?

Regardless, this is absurd. A shower in a school clubroom? With Rias in it, nude? Completely absurd. Likely some joke Akeno is playing on me to see how quickly I'll become embarrassed. Then she'll take out her phone and snap a picture of my face to tease me about later. Not this time, Akeno. I'm immune to this sort of trick.

"Buchou, I've brought him."

"Thanks, Akeno.

I choke on my saliva as Rias answers Akeno back from behind the curtain.

Is this real life?!

Rias is seriously naked back there? Does she know I can see the outline of her body? Should I even be looking in that area of the room?

I decide the answer to that last question is a flat "No." and make more of an effort to look anywhere else. I feel the blood rushing to my face as the knowledge that Rias is behind that sheet, taking a shower, fills my head with a vivid image of water running down her naked body. Suddenly it's not the blood rushing to my _face_ that worries me.

"Senpai looks nervous."

My eyes shoot to the couch to glare at the person who pointed out my, admittedly obvious, uncomfortableness with the situation. I recognize her instantly by the white hair, soft monotone voice, and short stature. Toujou Koneko, a first-year, and the (un)official school mascot.

Sitting next to her on the couch, chuckling, is the "Prince of Kuoh Academy" himself, Kiba Yuuto. Is he laughing at me? I've changed my mind about you, Kiba. We are no longer bound by the unfortunate circumstances of being cursed by the male half of the student body. We're enemies now. You will rue this day, you blonde-haired, blue-eyed pretty boy.

I feel someone embrace me from behind while I'm distracted by my thoughts and oaths of retribution. Two arms encircle my torso, followed by two soft mounds pressing against my back. Judging by their size I can only assume it's…

"Ara ara, is that true? Is Yuki-kun getting embarrassed? Or are you _excited?_ "

Please don't use that sultry tone of voice, Akeno. Especially not if you're going to whisper in my ear!

And, more importantly, body, why must you betray me at times like these?! Down, boy! You have a girlfriend, you're in a committed relationship and you shouldn't be thinking about your friends like that anyway! Bad Ren, very bad Ren!

Her boobs are _really_ soft though. They're even bigger than Yuuma's…

No, bad! Where's your sense of loyalty?!

I'm saved by the sound of a curtain being pulled back and Rias' sighing.

"Don't tease Ren, Akeno. He's here for a reason."

I send my silent thanks to Rias and she returns my grateful look with one of amusement as Akeno lets go of me with a pout. Stop finding humor in my discomfort, it's not funny to tease people like this. What if I was some sort of sexual deviant? It wouldn't be so funny then, would it?

Rias walks over to her desk and takes a seat behind it, looking at me with a smile but there's nothing but seriousness in her eyes. I set down my bag and take a seat for myself, on the couch that's across from the one Koneko and Kiba are sitting on.

"Welcome to the Occult Research Club, Nobuyuki Ren. To get straight to the point, all of us here are Devils."

"...I'm sorry, what?"

I feel like there should have been more buildup to this joke, or at least a punchline at the end. Just coming out and saying something ridiculous, where's the humor in that? Rias needs to work on her comedy. Is the joke that everyone's treating this seriously? Because, that's still not an actual joke, you know.

"Your expression says that you don't believe me."

No, really? What gave it away? Was it the complete disbelief that I'm sure is etched onto my face?

"Do you remember last night?"

"Last night? Last night was..."

What happened last night? I can remember that horrid dream I had of Yuuma stabbing me and leaving me for dead, then Koneko – I think? – showed up with Rias, and then I'm pretty sure I died. I can remember _that_ but I can't remember what _actually_ happened. Because obviously none of that happened. People don't grow wings and make weird energy spears and Yuuma did _not_ kill me.

"It was real. The girl you knew as Amano Yuuma is a Fallen Angel. Angels that once served God but were either cast out of Heaven or fell from grace because of their sins. They are the enemy of us Devils. You were killed by a Fallen Angel."

Eh, still not feeling this joke. Everyone's playing it way too seriously, I can't get into it at all.

Rias sighs. She must be able to pick up on the fact that I'm not buying any of this. She reaches into a drawer and withdraws something before shutting it with a snap. In her hands is what appears to be a photograph. She holds it up and my eyes widen. That's…

"A photo, of you and Amano Yuuma, together. All the copies you had were erased, were they not?"

I can only nod in silence, staring at the image. It was a photo of Yuuma and I leaving the karaoke place, smiling and laughing. It's of yesterday evening. Meaning that yesterday most certainly did happen as I remember it, at least for the most part.

"I know this is a lot to deal with but-"

"This isn't funny."

Rias looks at me in surprise as I cut her off.

This non-joke has long since lost any of its appeal to me. I'm glaring at her now, something I don't think I've ever actually done before but this is making me angry. It's one thing to tell me some silly story as a prank and it's another to outright mock me like this.

"You asked me to come here and I trusted you because we're friends, but if all you're going to do is make fun of me then I'm leaving."

I stand up to do just that but as I rise I hear a familiar sound. It's the same one I heard last night, the sound of wings unfurling. I look towards where the sound came from and I see something I've become too accustomed to as of late.

Wings.

Huge, black wings. Not feathered, like Yuuma's were. They're more similar to something like a demon's wings than an angel's. There's also the fact that they're coming from Rias' back, that's kinda strange. And by strange I mean shocking and terrifying.

"Do you believe me now?"

I can't even think of a smart-mouthed response to that, I can only nod and sit back down, staring at Rias in awe. Devil. That's what she said she was, right? A Devil? And that everyone in this room is a Devil too?

I suddenly feel very vulnerable, like a sheep among wolves. That fear must show on my face, because Kiba opens his mouth to say something to me.

"You don't have to be afraid, Nobuyuki-san. We're not your enemies."

That's not reassuring at all, Kiba. That's actually exactly what an enemy would say, isn't it?

Regardless, there's nothing I can do in this situation. It's not as if I could fight my way out or something. And even after this sudden revelation, I'm not sure I could raise a hand to Akeno or Rias. Despite the anger I had felt a few moments ago, they're still my friends, even if now I know they're not my _human_ friends.

I look to Rias again.

"Yesterday really happened the way I remember it? I really died?"

That's not what I'm really asking and she knows it. The real question I need to be answered is if Yuuma really killed me.

When Rias nods I feel the urge to stand up and deny everything again. There's no way. There's no way that my Yuuma killed me! She wouldn't and she didn't! I know Amano Yuuma and she would never do something like that.

" _I'm sorry."_

But…

She did, didn't she?

She really killed me. Drove a spear right through me and left me to die after a final kiss goodbye.

"Why?"

What did I do wrong? What did I do that was so terrible it warranted death? And not just death, but death by Yuuma's hands. Death by skewering.

"It isn't anything you did. She came into contact with you to accomplish her mission. However, despite the fact that it would have only take a day to complete it, she stayed for just over two weeks. It's odd," Rias said, looking contemplative.

Well, naturally, she must have stayed for my charm and charisma, no? If not that then it's likely because of my dashing good looks.

I wish my jokes could pick me up right now but I'm feeling too depressed for it. Finding out your girlfriend is some supernatural entity that was on a job to kill you and that's why she dated you in the first place is harsh.

"You were killed because of what you possess inside of you, what we refer to as a "Sacred Gear". It's a power given to certain human beings, and those that awaken theirs typically go on to become significant people in the world. Quite a few individuals in history became famous through using their Sacred Gear, though we're obviously not taught such a thing here."

Shame about that. If our history lessons were about how ancient leaders fought wars by, I don't know, shooting laser beams out of their eyes with this "Sacred Gear" thing then maybe I'd stay awake during class for once.

"But why was I killed? Is having a Sacred Gear really reason enough?"

"Typically, no. Most possessors are left well enough alone, though some choose to align themselves with one of the Three Factions." Seeing my confused face, she must realize I have no idea what these "Three Factions" even are. "Right, my mistake. The Three Factions are as follows: the forces of Heaven, i.e. angels and the Church, the Fallen Angels and those that ally with them such as Stray Exorcists, and then there's us, Devils."

Sounds like an RPG.

Do I get to punch God in the face if I choose the proper route? I kind of feel up for that.

But, wait, there's a problem here, isn't there? No matter how you look at it, I died last night. That much I can say with certainty now. So how am I alive? I voice such a question and Rias looks at me with a small amount of guilt in her eyes.

"That would be my doing. I've had Koneko follow you ever since you were first approached by the Fallen Angel. I'm sorry."

You what?

"You _what?"_

No matter how you look at it that's a huge invasion of my privacy! That's downright stalking! I mean, granted, I'm probably alive because of it (though I still haven't been told _how_ being stalked by the first-year factors into things necessarily) but still!

If anything, that leaves even bigger questions on my mind, ones that I'm not sure I want answered but I ask anyway.

"If I was being followed then why didn't someone do anything before I was stabbed? Why wait until I suddenly had a hole in my stomach to do something?"

My tone is accusatory without meaning to be but this is really bothering me. If Rias knew all of this and was having me shadowed then why did I still wind up dead? Why did no one step in to save me? And is anyone going to ever actually get around to explaining how the hell I'm still alive?!

The guilt in Rias' eyes grows as she opens her mouth to answer. Whatever the answer is going to be, it's clearly eating away at her.

"Kuoh Town is my territory as a High-Class Devil. However, despite that, I can't take action against the Fallen Angel faction of my own volition unless they were to launch an attack on a Devil or otherwise try to break the standoff between the other two factions. To do so would threaten the already shaky peace between the Three Factions and plunge not just us but the entire world into war."

She doesn't need to say anymore, I already get the picture.

I died because I'm human.

I died because of _politics._

I don't even know who I'm angry at anymore, or even if I'm angry or just very tired all of a sudden.

Do I blame Yuuma, for killing me despite the fact that she genuinely seemed to care about me, even going so far as to wish I'd be reborn into another life so we could be together?

Do I blame Rias, for not stepping in to do something even though any action to defend me could have been taken as one of aggression and as a declaration of war?

Do I blame the Three Factions as a whole, just for existing at all and leading to my demise?

Do I blame the Sacred Gear inside of me, for being why I was targeted?

I want to lay the blame at someone or something's feet but I don't even know who's truly responsible. This entire situation just feels like an absolute, pardon my language, clusterfuck of 'wrong place at the wrong time" on every single level, and the person at the center of it all just happened to be me.

"I see."

A simple, two-word response that doesn't convey the mile-a-minute thoughts running through my head right now. Rias winces at the cold tone my reply unintentionally carries but continues on with answering my questions.

"You're alive because I chose to save your life. When Koneko notified me of what happened I teleported to her as fast as I could but the Fallen Angel had put up a temporary barrier to block anyone from entering the park. By the time it had dissipated it was already too late and you were dying. The only option I had left was to reincarnate you."

I'm sorry, what? You wanna run that by me again, Rias?

"You're now a Reincarnated Devil of House Gremory."

That's…

I think I need to sit down.

Oh, no, I _am_ sitting down. Maybe I should stand up? Unfortunately, there seems to be a problem with my legs. You see, they're no longer functioning at the moment. I'm trying to force them to move but they won't. The shock that I've surrendered my humanity is apparently so much to cope with that the rest of my body's become frozen while my brain tries to deal with this new information.

And as my brain is working to try and make sense of it all, a thought comes to me of its own accord. It's not a good one, just considering it makes me sick to my stomach but now that I've thought it I can't get rid of it. Not without asking a question where no matter what the answer is I don't think it will comfort me.

Yuuma had knowledge of my Sacred Gear and, presumably, that's why she chose to get close to me. When it came time to end things, she killed me because I was a threat. I don't want to believe that's how things are but, as far as I know, that's the truth.

But what of my two friends?

What of Rias and Akeno?

"Is that why you became friends with me? Because you knew I had some sort of Sacred Gear thing and you wanted it on your side? Is that why I'm still alive?"

Just saying the words makes me nauseous. Has everything up until now just been subtle manipulations? Was the friendship I made with them built on a lie?

"No!"

"Of course not!"

They both respond to me with shock and a bit of outrage that I could even ask that. I don't know if it's genuine. I don't know what's true anymore.

I force strength back into my legs and finally stand, grabbing my bag. Rias stands as well, worry in her eyes and Akeno is looking at me with a hurt expression. I can't deal with this. I can't deal with such huge bombshell revelations being dropped on my life. I can't deal with the looks they're giving me.

"I need to leave. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ren, wait!"

Rias calls out to me but I don't listen as I hurriedly rush out of the Occult Research Club's room, out of the building and off campus. My body is trembling the entire way and I can feel myself break out into a cold sweat.

I'm running away.

I can recognize such a thing in the back of my head but I can't stop myself from taking one step after another.

My entire view of the world has been shattered in a single day.

It may sound overly dramatic but it's true.

I woke up this morning and I was happy. I had a girlfriend and two close friends that I could trust with anything. Now I find out that I never actually had the former and there's a doubt in my mind that the latter only approached me because I was valuable in some way.

There's an entire supernatural world that I was never aware of and, because of something I contain within myself that I also never knew about, there are people that want me dead. Not joking "I wish he'd go die already" vibes like at school from a bunch of brats, actual murderous intent.

This is too much for the average high school student.

Find someone else to saddle all this burden with, and then wake me up from this dream so I can go back to my normally scheduled life, okay? The life I had where my biggest issues on the horizon were what I was going to do post-graduation and wondering how to make my friends and girlfriend get along with one another. I liked that life.

"How interesting, to find someone like you wandering about."

I break my staring contest with the pavement to look at whoever is speaking in front of me. It's some middle-aged guy in a trench coat and fedora. I bite down on my tongue to stop myself from asking if he's going to tip his hat at me. I shouldn't make jokes about what other people wear, even if I think they look like they walked out of a bad movie from several decades ago.

"Devil, are you a Stray? Where is your Master? Answer me quickly."

If he's tossing around words like "Devil" then that means he's related to _that_ world. That fact alone instantly put me on edge, and if it didn't then the killing intent I can feel from his eyes would have done that job just fine. Whoever this is, they're holding some serious hate in their eyes for me right now.

I should probably run now.

However, before I can, a voice from behind me answers this poorly-dressed stranger in my stead.

"He's mine. I would suggest you not harm him. If you do then I won't hold back." I turn my head and see Rias and Akeno walking towards us. Akeno is glaring at the man and Rias steps in front of me defensively. "My name is Rias Gremory and this is my territory."

...I can't tell if she's saying Kuoh is her territory or that I am.

Rias, please don't say things my teenage mind could construe as double entendre. I've already been overloaded with serious matters, if you stuff innuendo into my brain as well I really might explode.

"I see. A word of advice then, Gremory girl? Don't let your _pets_ wander too far from home. Someone like me may accidentally kill one of them on a walk."

Pets?!

Alright, I was nervous before but now I'm getting angry. I'm not going to stand here and be degraded by someone that looks like they aged out of the Trench Coat Mafia! Sadly, before I can shoot my mouth off and probably say something that'll get me in trouble, black wings sprout from the man's back.

He's a Fallen Angel.

Just like Yuuma.

"Thank you for the advice. Allow me to offer you some in kind. If you threaten this boy again then I will kill you on the spot."

Rias says it so coldly that even though it's not directed at me I can feel a chill run down my spine. This side of her is kind of scary. But she's protecting me, so I guess it's kind of warm too? It's weird to have such conflicting feelings.

The man scoffs as if Rias' threat isn't something to be concerned about before his wings take him into the sky. Wait, I can't let him leave like this, I need him to answer something!

"Oi, Fallen Angel-san!"

Rias and Akeno are both looking at me in surprise and the Fallen Angel has turned his gaze from Rias back to me.

"Amano Yuuma. Have you ever heard that name? If you have, where can I find her?"

It's pathetic, I know. If I really am a Devil then I'm technically asking an enemy for help, but I can't help myself. Yuuma, she means a lot to me, even after knowing what I know now. If nothing else, I need closure.

He looks at me and I could swear there's almost pity in his eyes, as though he's looking upon a wounded animal. I don't like it. It's getting on my nerves already. Stop giving me such a look, old man.

"So you're the one Raynare was assigned to."

Raynare? Who the hell is Raynare? Is this geezer going senile? Should I enunciate more properly and tell him I'm talking about Amano Yuuma and not whoever this "Raynare" person is?

"Brat, do yourself the favor and get over her. She's gone and she's not coming back."

He doesn't give me the opportunity to inquire further about what that means or where Yuuma's gone to before he looks to Rias once more.

"My name is Dohnaseek. I hope we never meet again."

With those ominous words, he's gone, flying off into the night.

It's just Rias, Akeno and myself now, all alone.

Things are arguably tenser than they were when the Fallen Angel, Dohnaseek, was still here.

I ran out of the school after all but accusing them of lying to me for over two years. I pretty much said that the only reason they became friends with me is that they knew I had a Sacred Gear and they wanted to use it. I shouldn't have said all that, and I definitely shouldn't have left before I heard their side of the story.

"Ren." Akeno's using my actual name rather than her pet name for me. She's taking this really seriously. "I know you feel like we betrayed your trust but please believe us when we say it was never about your Sacred Gear."

"She's telling the truth. We helped you because we wanted to, because we were sympathetic towards what you were going through. I didn't discover you had a Sacred Gear until after the fact," Rias chimes in.

I don't know if I can believe what they're saying.

It's all so convenient, isn't it?

But haven't they earned the benefit of the doubt? You don't stick with someone for what's coming up on three years if you're just using them as a means to an end. You don't hang out with them or take stupid pictures together or laugh at their bad jokes or try to embarrass them if you only want something from them without caring about who they are as a person.

I'll trust them.

Even if it winds up being a mistake, I want to make that mistake for myself rather than go through life second-guessing their intentions. Aren't I supposed to be a "take things as they come" sort of guy? Don't think so deeply about everything then.

If they say they became my friends before discovering I had some sort of super strong weapon inside me then I'll choose to believe them because I _want_ to believe them. If that makes me naive then that's fine too.

"Okay."

The two have a look of relief as I accept what they say.

"But..."

And just like that, it's gone.

If I was a sadist-type of person I could probably have some fun with this but that seems too mean. I shouldn't play with the emotions of girls, it'll make me feel bad and I'll get a negative reputation. More than the one I already have, I mean.

"No more lying. No more secrets. I want you two to trust me the same way I trust you, so don't hide things anymore. Okay?"

They both give me a nod and smile. Good. Things are good then. Not great, as I'm still worried about Yuuma, but I can accept this for the moment.

"So… Should we go back to school? I still have some questions about the whole "Devil" thing."

* * *

 **And that's chapter 2.**

 **I'm trying to avoid going heavy on the angst, despite Ren's less than pleasant backstory. I'm going to keep it (mostly) to flashbacks to when he was in a more difficult emotional state of mind. I can guarantee you this won't be some sobfest where you watch me systematically torture (emotional or otherwise) my OC though, promise.**

 **Other than that bit of unpleasantness, writing in first-person is kinda fun. It lets me slip into the protagonist's thoughts and actions so much easier, which makes writing a lot easier as well. We're still following canon currently because I feel that quite a few things in early-DxD were crucial to settings in motion. Rest assured that canon will be broken, in a rather significant way at that, relatively soon. Just gotta lay the groundwork for it.**

 **One last piece of business, but for anyone that's having difficulty imagining what Ren looks like, Google search "Devil Survivor 2 protagonist". That black-haired, blue-eyed guy with the bunny ears hoodie? That's him, that's our hero.**

 **Anyways, review if you liked the story and want to see me continue. Let me know what you think of our protagonist and his personality so far. I'm always eager to read some feedback.**


	3. Chapter 3

" _Nobuyuki-san, you can't just stay inside forever."_

" _Doesn't need to be forever." I grab another cookie out of the box sitting on the table, not even glancing at the redhead I've unwillingly let inside my house. I only opened the door and let her in because she wouldn't stop knocking and it was getting on my last nerve. "Just 'till I'm dead." I take a bite and continue on watching TV. "Why are you here again? I thought I said to leave me alone."_

 _I hear the girl sigh before her footsteps approach the couch I'm sitting on. She stands in front of the television, intentionally blocking my view so that I'll have to look up at her face. I refuse to, just staring straight ahead at the thighs that are currently obscuring my vision instead. These school uniform skirts sure are short though. Any shorter and I'd have a clear view of…_

" _I'm here to give you the classwork that you've missed out on."_

" _Seems like more of a Student Council President job than a… What's your club again? You started up some weird one before I left."_

" _The Occult Research Club, and it's not weird."_

 _No, Gremory, it's_ definitely _weird to spend your time researching something like the occult. What's even the point of crap like that? None of it's real, what does it matter? Whatever, it doesn't concern me, but the idea of such a pointless club has me rolling my eyes._

" _Right. Whatever you say. I don't see why the work couldn't just be sent to my email. There's no reason for you or the other girl to come here. Get the message already and screw off."_

 _I'm intentionally being as rude and confrontational as I can be at this point. I don't want help, I want people to leave me be. Am I speaking some foreign language or does everyone not seem to understand what I'm saying?_

" _I'm here to try to convince you to come back to school. That's why I'm here and that's why I'll be back tomorrow. Akeno is the same way."_

 _Gremory says it with such resolve that my eyes can't help but flicker up to her face. She has a confident expression, as though maybe just saying such a thing will motivate me to get off my ass and leave my house for the first time in several weeks._

 _It isn't._

 _I sigh and continue to ignore her until she finally leaves with a promise to return tomorrow._

 _I hope she doesn't come back._

 _I'm so tired of dealing with people._

* * *

I exhale in displeasure as I sit down on the couch in the clubroom.

"Another contract gone bad?"

I tear my eyes away from the floor to look up at Rias. She's gazing at me with a mixture of amusement and disappointment. Stop that, you're making me feel worse than I already do for failing again. I'm disappointed enough in myself, please don't pile on.

"How am I supposed to turn some buff bodybuilder cross-dresser into a Magical Girl? And the contract I picked up for Koneko, the guy didn't even want me there. I get the crappiest jobs because I'm new and inexperienced but none of the people who summon me have requests I can grant, so I fail to complete the contract and don't get any experience. I'm stuck in an endless loop!"

I lay down in a huff after my rant. This completely _sucks._ When Rias told me I was going to be summoned as a Devil and completing contracts I was all for it. Sounded easy and a quick way to raise my rank from Low-Class to High, meaning I'd be done fast and have more time to slack off.

Turns out, not only is it _not_ easy when all your clients make the most ridiculous of demands, moving up in the Devil hierarchy system through contracts takes so freaking long you might as well not even bother! Why is it an option if it takes a trillion years to move from just Low-Class to Mid through contracts?!

At least with handing out leaflets it was simple. Stand outside and keep your hand out with a paper in it, sometimes people take one and sometimes they don't. I tried doing it another way but Rias got upset with me after I told her what I did.

Apparently, you're _not_ supposed to throw them off building rooftops and just let them rain down on people as if you're airdropping propaganda leaflets during wartime. How was I supposed to know that? It seemed pretty efficient to me at the time! I did get praised for my idea though after our number of contracts increased for a while.

However, I'm still not allowed to do that anymore. I've been informed that doing it the first time caused some sort of panic and made people think Japan was going to war with another country. Scolded, then praised, then scolded again.

C'est la vie.

"At least you're doing well on the questionnaires."

Yes, my clients, despite having absurd or insane requests, are quite kind to me. Either that or my expression is just that pitiful when I realize by the end I've failed another contract that they feel bad for me and write something nice so I don't get in too much trouble. I'll accept either outcome though, I'm not picky.

"Putting that aside, how's progress on your Sacred Gear?"

I resist the urge to sigh when a small flash of white light engulfs my right hand as I raise it into the air so she can see. When it dies down, it's covered by a white glove that stops at my wrist with a blue jewel on the back of my hand. Other than that it's almost completely nondescript. Utterly plain, boring, and, as far as I can tell, useless.

"Still nothing. I don't get it, I can summon it with no problem but it doesn't actually _do_ anything! Are you sure this thing isn't broken, Rias?"

"I'm sure, Ren. And didn't I ask you to call me Buchou, at least during club hours?"

I sit up and pout at her. "Buchou" is so...blah. Rias is Rias to me, that's all there is to it. Calling her by an official title feels wrong.

"You know I can't be so formal. Nobody's even here." I do a quick look around to make sure that's actually true. Luckily enough, it is. Would have been embarrassing otherwise. "Come on, you're way too stressed. Relax~."

I stretch the last word for effect and it seems to work. Rias laughs a little before smiling at my antics. I'm glad I can get her to lighten up.

"Fine, I guess I can let you get away with it when no one's around. But-"

"But when people are here or we're on club business, Buchou is Buchou."

I give Rias a mock salute that leaves her shaking her head mirthfully. That's the Rias I like to see, laughing and having some fun.

"Anyways, if that's all my work for tonight then I'm gonna head home. Bye, _Buchou~._ "

I can't resist teasing her before I'm on my way out the door. Akeno's a bad influence on me after all, even I like to see people get embarrassed every now and again. It's a nice change of pace from being the one that gets embarrassed.

What's the saying, it's better to give than to receive? That sounds about right, and by the cute pouty face Rias had before she was out of sight, I can definitely agree.

* * *

I've thought it before but it really is true now, the sun should just explode. Rias said that my body will adapt to sunlight draining my energy and all but, until then, why doesn't the sun just go somewhere else for the time being? Like, a black hole. Take a nice trip through a black hole and come back when I'm ready to deal with you.

Thinking about Rias makes me feel worse. I've been letting her down a lot lately, haven't I? There was that whole debacle with the flyers, then it turns out my Sacred Gear is a piece of junk, and all of my contracts wind up being rendered null and void. Granted, a lot of this stuff is out of my hands and mostly down to bad circumstances but still.

And it's not as if I'm not trying, I really am! It's just that my trying doesn't seem to actually help anything. You can bang your head against a brick wall all day but you're never going to get any closer to breaking it down…or something like that.

Then there's the weird dream I keep having. It always goes the same way; I'm engulfed in a dense haze of smoke or smog and, in the distance, I can see a great beast. I can make out that it has a long neck and body, with four legs. It's kind of snake-like, in a way. Any finer features are obscured by the smog, all I can see is the outline of its huge form.

I call out to it instinctively, as though I know what it is deep in my heart. It answers back, but whatever it says is distorted. I hear it but I can't comprehend it. Then I wake up in a daze. I don't know what the dream means but it's getting kind of annoying.

My thoughts are broken as I hear a yelp, followed by the sound of something falling to the ground. I stop my walk to look for whatever made the sound and am promptly greeted by a girl's, I _hope_ it's a girl's, rear end in the air. Her dress had flipped up and now her butt and white panties are on display.

That's one way to start the day, I guess?

"Do you need any help?"

The girl, again, _really_ hoping this is a girl because otherwise this is going to get several magnitudes weirder, says something in response but it's muffled by the fact that she's still face down. I check my phone for the time. Still, 20 minutes until I have to be at school and sleeping during my first class. Guess I can afford to be a good Samaritan.

I walk over and pull the dress back down to cover her behind, both for her sake and my own, before helping the girl to her feet. She's wearing a veil on her head but it doesn't hide the fact that this girl is very cute. Emerald green eyes, long blonde hair and a pretty face that's currently giving me a shy but thankful look.

It's only after I stop looking at her face and take in the rest of her appearance do I have a miniature stroke.

This girl is a nun!

As in affiliated with the Church!

The Church, as in the enemy of all Devils!

And, less importantly, I was looking at the panties of a nun! Not really that big of an issue in the grand scheme of things but it's not doing me any favors. It seems pretty bad to have lewd thoughts about an actual nun. "Eternal damnation" levels of pretty bad. But I'm a Devil, so maybe that's okay? I'm probably not on a good relationship with God anyway.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, it's no problem." I take note of the bag over her shoulder and suitcase that's still laying on the ground. "Traveling?"

I probably shouldn't be chatting up a nun. There's no way this can end well for me, a Church girl and a Devil are just two incompatible types of people. That said, she looks like she needs help. Lugging around all that stuff must be difficult, considering her small frame.

"O-Oh, yes, I am! I was appointed to the Church in this town, but…," she looks a bit embarrassed now, red staining her cheeks, "I got lost. I'm new to Japan and can't speak the language. You're the first person I've met that speaks Italian."

I don't speak a word of Italian. I can barely manage Japanese sometimes, or so I've been told. Thankfully the Language skill has got me covered. Don't know a lick of most foreign languages but it doesn't matter. Thanks to the power of Devil magic, I can speak and understand any of them. Doesn't help with reading though, as I've unfortunately learned in English class.

"The Church? I think I know where that is. Do you want me to take you there?"

That was not what I meant to say. That was supposed to be a "Do you want directions?", not an offer to lead her there! I can't go near a Church, Rias already told me doing that is off-limits. Going to a Church would be like painting a target on my back and telling the Angels up in Heaven to take their best shot. I can still salvage this though, I just need to make up some excuse as to why I can't and give her directions on how to get there.

"Really? Yes, I would be incredibly grateful! Thank you very much!"

No! Don't say that with such a kind and hopeful expression! I can't get out now, I'm trapped! If I try to back out at this point I'll look, and feel, like a dirt bag for abandoning this girl. But if I do go then I'm definitely going to get a lecture when Rias asks why I was late to school. I could just lie but that kind of goes against the whole "no lying" thing I asked of them a few nights ago. Wouldn't be right if I started lying after asking them to not do it to me.

Screw it, I'll deal with the scolding. I'd feel bad if I left this girl on her own. Besides, I kinda owe it to her. I mean, I _did_ look at her panties for longer than I should have.

And just like that, we're off. Just a nun and a Devil, side by side, walking to a Church. I feel like this is the beginning of a good joke.

A nun and a Devil walk into a Church. The Devil bursts into flames immediately.

...I need to work on my material.

That aside, the walk isn't half bad. Not too talkative but then again we're literal strangers so I suppose that's normal. What's distinctly _abnormal_ is when we both hear a cry in a nearby park and she rushes off to help a young boy balling his eyes out over the cut on his knee.

"Don't cry; it's just a little scrape."

Now her hands are glowing green as she puts them over the boy's wound. Not the absolute weirdest thing I've ever seen, but okay. Then the cut starts healing, _that_ is weird. Within moments, it's gone. Does this girl have a Sacred Gear? She's certainly not affiliated with Devils if she's a nun so it can't be any sort of demonic power.

Either way, with a cry of "Thanks, onee-chan!" the boy's off and running. I let the girl know that he said thank you and her smile is beatific. A nun that seems genuinely happy just to help people, even going out of her way to tend to a hurt child.

So sweet it could give you diabetes.

She looked kind of sad when I asked her about her ability though, saying it was a "wonderful power that God gave me" in a somber sort of way. I guess this Sacred Gear business isn't so great. I died because of mine and from the way this girl reacted it looks like hers has caused a bit of grief as well.

Within a few minutes, we're fairly close to the Church. Just looking at it gives me chills, but it's more than that. If I strain my eyes and really look, I swear I can see someone in one of the upper windows, looking back at me. It's a pretty intense feeling, more so than the pressure I feel of being in such close proximity to a Church. I can't tell which one is making my stomach churn but it's pretty bad. I need to get out of here before something happens.

"Well, you're here and I'm late to class so I've gotta get going. See you around?"

"Please wait!"

Blondie, you're killing me here. Possibly literally if I stick around.

"Are you sure you can't stay for tea? I'd like to repay you somehow."

I sigh. Any other time I might have said yes but if I get any closer to that building I really will fear for my safety.

"I'm sorry. Maybe next time though?"

The girl's eyes light up with happiness as she smiles. "Okay! I'm Asia Argento, please call me Asia."

Asia Argento. Nice name for a nice girl. It's a shame I probably won't ever see her again, despite my promise of a "next time".

"Nobuyuki Ren, just call me Ren like everyone else does."

Well, mostly everyone. I really need to talk to Kiba sometime about being so damn formal by calling me "Nobuyuki-kun", it's starting to get to me. And I've never been successful at getting Akeno to stop calling me "Yuki-kun" ever since she started.

"Ren-san." She says my name, trying it out for the first time since we've met. "I'm glad to have met someone so kind so soon after arriving in Japan. Please come to the Church again sometime, okay? Promise?"

I wince.

"Yeah, promise. Bye, Asia."

"Bye, Ren-san!"

I feel guilt settle in the pit of my stomach as I walk away while Asia waves goodbye. That's a promise I know I can't keep. Sorry, Asia.

* * *

"Ren-"

"You don't have to say it, I already know."

"Do you? I thought I was pretty clear when I said to not go near the Church."

I sigh tiredly. I knew this was coming, and while I'm still glad that Rias is trying to look out for me, being reprimanded like I'm a little kid that doesn't know any better is kind of annoying. I _can_ take care of myself, you know.

"And I won't, this was just a one-time thing. And come on, it's not like anything happened. I know better than to actually go _in_ the Church, doesn't that count for something?" I ask her with a joking smile. My humor goes unappreciated as Rias only deepens her frown.

"This isn't a game, Ren. You could have really gotten hurt, or worse. If an Angel decided you were a threat or an Exorcist was passing by you might have been killed. Not just killed but exorcised. You would be reduced to nothing. I was able to bring you back from death once, I can't do it a second time."

Exorcised. Rias warned me about that before. It's not just death for Devils, they're turned to actual nothing. Not even Purgatory, they're just gone. It sounds pretty terrifying, in all honesty. At least with the afterlife, you can think about what it's like, and now that I'm a Devil I know that there actually _is_ an afterlife to go to when you die. If I'm exorcised, I'm just _destroyed_ and there's nothing waiting for me. I'll cease to exist.

"If you're done scaring Yuki-kun, Buchou..."

I nearly leap out of my skin as Akeno sneaks up from behind, scaring me herself. I don't know how she does it but she makes absolutely no sound when she walks. I swear she learned how to do that _just_ to see me jump. I hate that. Especially when Akeno takes a picture after doing it. Thankfully, I'm spared that this time. She looks pretty grim, actually.

"We've received a message from the Archduke. There's a Stray in town."

Rias' eyes narrow at the news, and I know what that look means.

Time to get to work.

* * *

Stray Devils.

Devils that have killed or otherwise betrayed their Masters and now run wild. Without their Kings to keep their power in check, they mutate and become little more than horrific, monstrous animals. Animals that tend to have a taste for devouring anything and everything, with their favorite meals being humans because of their lack of ability to fight back.

And yet, despite the fact that they're barely above being feral, unthinking beasts, I can't help but feel sympathy for the one lying on the ground, currently being shocked by Akeno. Akeno, who is giggling and rubbing her thighs together as she slowly but surely ups the voltage on her magical lightning. Magical lightning that's turning the Stray Devil on the ground a charcoal black bit by bit. The brighter and more intense the lightning gets, the more labored her breathing.

If I was into S&M I would be kinda turned on right now.

Hell, even not being into that kind of thing, just hearing and seeing Akeno's reaction is doing things to me.

This is a side of Akeno I've never seen before. I mean, I knew she enjoyed teasing people a bit too much but actual outright sadism? That's a lot to take in. Especially when you're getting a live show.

Which is why I'm hiding behind Rias and using her as a shield. For safety's sake, you know?

I'm just a little bit scared and, even more worrying, slightly aroused. Not that I would ever admit either of those two things to anyone present. Definitely not the latter to the black-haired Queen. I don't even want to think of what she'd do with that knowledge.

"It's not that bad."

I give Rias my best "Are you kidding?" face.

"She is electrocuting something and getting off on it _._ Where exactly does this fall on your scale of "not that bad"?"

Rias just sighs before walking forward, leaving me unguarded. Please come back, I don't feel safe anymore. "Akeno, that's enough." She calls off the ponytailed girl and the lightning stops immediately. Akeno turns around and her eyes almost instantly zero in on me.

I am now acutely aware of the fact that Akeno, as a Queen, technically has the speed of a Knight and I do _not._ Even more so now that she's walking towards my direction.

"Ara ara, don't worry, _Yuki-kun._ I don't bite." She's pressing her front against mine against me, standing on her tip toes to whisper into my ear now. " _Much~."_

Did it suddenly get incredibly hot in this room or is it just me? My clothes inexplicably feel very uncomfortable. Akeno, you gotta _stop._ For my benefit more than anything.

And Kiba I hear you chuckling in the back, dammit! Either help me or shut up! This is why I like Koneko more than you.

"Akeno."

Rias is looking over her shoulder at the scene we're making. I say "we're" but I'm not doing anything other than trying to back away while Akeno moves forward with every backstep I take. The redhead has a warning sort of tone to her voice.

"Sorry, Buchou."

Akeno doesn't sound apologetic in the slightest as she eases off, giving me a wink. This girl is taking years off my life, I'm sure of it. She was definitely never this aggressive before. Is it because I'm a Devil now or because I know about her secret sadist side at this point? Either way, please slow down. I'm not going to be able to take much more of this escalated level of teasing.

Rias turns back to look at the monster still twitching on the floor. "Stray Devil Visor, do you have any last words?"

"Kill me."

Brutal.

"Very well then."

With those words, a ball of black demonic power shoots from Rias' hand and annihilates the Stray. Not even a drop of blood remains, only scorch marks. Rias' magic, her "Power of Destruction" is pretty incredible. The complete annihilation of whatever it touches. Wish my Sacred Gear did something that cool instead of _literal_ _nothing._

"Checkmate."

...I can't stop from giggling, breaking up the serious atmosphere as everyone gazes at me questioningly. What? I can't help myself! "Checkmate."? Seriously? Rias is such a dork, actually having a finishing line like that when ending a fight. I wave off everyone's looks, stopping my laughter but unable to take the smile off my face as we leave.

You would think I'd be more bothered by the fact that we went monster hunting but I'm surprisingly okay with it. I've accepted this as just another part of Devil life, and once I reach the level of High-Class myself then things like this might be expected of me as well. Best I get used to it now and use it as experience for the future.

My future as a High-Class Devil.

Sure beats the hell out of whatever lame plans I had for when I graduated.

* * *

I teleport to the location of my third contract and the moment the light dies down I can feel the blood freeze in my veins.

I'm staring at a corpse.

Not just any corpse though, a corpse nailed to the wall and cut up in so many different ways I almost didn't recognize it as a human being. His face, or what's left of it, is twisted up in agony. Some bits of flesh from his body are outright hacked off, with so much ripped away that it's exposing the bone. Then there are other parts where the skin was carefully flayed off as if whatever monster that did this really wanted to take their time and enjoy it. The stomach is split open and the victim's internal organs are in a neat little pile at his feet. Feet that have huge stakes driven into them, along with the wrists. A crucifixion without the cross.

Just looking at the gruesome scene makes me want to vomit. My hand comes up to my mouth as I fight down the urge. I idly note that next to the desecrated corpse is a message written in a foreign language, one I can't read.

"It says "Punishment for the wicked", Devil-kun."

I whip around so fast I almost slip on the puddle of blood I was unknowingly standing in. Behind me is a white-haired male sitting on a couch with a candelabra on a small table in front of him. To the side of the couch, a nightstand with an unplugged lamp resting on it. The lamp is off, the only source of light in the room is the lit candles.

The man gets up and begins to approach me. My mind is urging me to flee from this guy but my body's not responding. His eyes are horrifying. Wide, but focused solely on me. There's a burning, smoldering hatred in them, as though my very existence is his antithesis. There's no doubt that this person is the one who murdered my contractor. Judging by the way he's eyeing me, I think I'm next on his menu.

"My name is Freed Sellzen."

I fight my instinctive urge to run as I move a bit closer while he bows with a hand over his heart, almost like a gentleman. It just makes him creepier, that he switches back and forth between looking half-mad and trying to appear normal. This type of person is someone I'd classify as a monster that wears the skin of a human being. It knows how to act normal but not how to _be_ normal.

"You don't need to introduce yourself, I don't want the name of a filthy Devil like you etched into my memory."

I inch closer to the table. Just keep talking, crazy man. I'm just about where I want to be. The second you take your eyes off of me, I'll...

"I'm a boy priest that's affiliated with a certain-"

He's cut off when I pick up the lamp and smash it against his face, leaving him screaming and clutching his face as the ceramic shards, along with pieces of the glass light bulb, pierce his skin and probably his eyes. What kind of fucking idiot starts singing and dancing after all but declaring "Hey, I'm gonna kill you!"? Dumbass. You deserve this kind of pain. Stupid people that think talking in a fight is somehow a free action can just get their asses kicked.

Speaking of kicking someone's ass, I start punching this insane moron immediately. They're not good punches, I still have no clue what the hell I'm doing in a fight and it shows, but he's got glass in his eyes and I don't so I think I should be able to handle myself. I knock his legs from out under him to get him on the floor and start kicking, targeting his head. Even someone inexperienced like me can win if I just tear open someone's wounds with brute force.

Wow, that's surprisingly dark for me.

Oh well, this type of person definitely deserves it. I should be careful with that kind of logic though, it's probably how this maniac justifies giving people vivisections. I'll reserve this kind of treatment solely for people, and I use that classification loosely, like him.

Unfortunately, as I'm kicking this supposed "boy priest" in the head, I hear a door in the back open and out steps a familiar blonde. Gotta say, of all the people I was expecting to be here, she was not one of them.

"Hi, Asia!"

Wait, no, that's right.

"Asia?!"

The hell is she doing here? Is she working with this psychopathic idiot? Does this blonde beauty have a hidden side where she's all innocent and cute to strangers but in reality, she's cruel and wicked and likes to chop people up like the dumbass on the floor?

The dumbass that's currently cursing me out, but I put a stop to his foul language (Even if some of it is kind of inventive. I'll be saving these threats for later, Sellzen-san) with a boot to the temple. He falls back to the floor after struggling to his hands and knees and I start stomping on his skull. Like hell I'm letting this guy get back up.

"R-Ren-san? What are you doing to Father Freed?"

Father?!

Oh, wait, no, that's Church lingo, isn't it? This guy's not actually someone's _father._ I got really worried for a second that this freak of nature managed to procreate. The world needs less murderous lunatics, not more.

"Well, you see, Freed-san is a bit _utterly insane_ and chopped that guy up over there."

I point to the corpse that's still hanging from the wall, wincing a little when Asia sees it for the first time and screams bloody murder. Probably could have handled that with a bit more tact but I'm running on a short clock. No time for sugarcoating anything. On the plus side, if she's reacting so negatively to such a horrific sight then that means she wasn't in on it. The innocent Asia remains innocent.

"I _think_ he wanted to do that to me. I disagreed, and now I'm trying to relocate his head into his colon before I get the hell out of here."

I give a particularly brutal stomp and feel satisfaction when I feel something on his face crack and give way. I'm not a sadist like Akeno but, seriously, if anyone deserves this it has to be this guy.

"Now, if you'll excuse me..."

I give Freed one last kick to the temple and he drops to the floor, motionless. In a just world, he'd be dead. Then again, in a just world, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to do this to begin with. Regardless, I can see his chest moving up and down, meaning he's still breathing. What a shame. His previously handsome face is now stained with a crimson mask of blood. The guy looks a complete and utter mess.

"I'll be going now."

I hurriedly begin to exit the living room I was summoned to before glancing over my shoulder. Asia is looking at me in shock, as though she can't believe anything that just happened is real. Freed's still out like a light – heh, out like a light. That's funny. Don't make jokes now! – and there's still a dead body in the room.

I sigh as I step back into the living room and make a split second decision that's probably, most definitely, going to bite me in the ass later.

* * *

Rias picks up the phone after two rings. I don't even give her the opportunity to say anything before I open my mouth.

"We've got a problem."

"What happened? Is the client being difficult?"

Mm, that's one way of putting it. Kinda difficult for me to finish a contract when the guy's damn _dead_ , but that's not really the main issue I'm having right now.

"No, no, that's not it."

"What is it then?"

I glance at the blonde nun that's currently sitting on my couch and giving me a nervous look.

"You're not gonna like this."

* * *

 **Chapter 3, done. More of Ren's backstory, some lighthearted fun, a meeting between him and Asia, Freed losing a fight because of his eccentricities, and Asia (technically) gets kidnapped. Lots of things going on in this chapter.**

 **Do you know what Ren's Sacred Gear is? I've given away two huge hints that are only a step away from outright saying it, but let me throw you another. The "Red" in the title doesn't refer to Ddraig, it's referring to Rias. If that plus the description of it in the beginning doesn't give it away then I don't know what will.**

 **As always, please review. Reviews are my motivation to continue working on this instead of, you know, sleeping all the time instead.**


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